Abu Dhabi: Ibn Battuta did not let his connections down as he raced to victory under jockey Wayne Smith in the HH The President's Cup (Listed), yesterday's feature event at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse.
After winning his first start of the season on November 8, which was after his win here on his debut in February, Ibn Battuta made it a third successive win for trainer Mussabah Al Muhairi yesterday.
Ibn Battuta's win came against a quality field as he battled National Day Cup winner Jaasoos on the rails and a fast-finishing Kalahari Gold, the favourite on the outside, to carry home the featured race.
"We were very confident, though we had stepped him up a bit. Many felt it will be a big task but we were confident," said Smith after his win on Ibn Battuta.
The winning jockey also felt the postponement of this race due to the recent rain had also helped. "The extra week did him good."
Kalahari Gold finished second with Jaasoos running in third in a close finish.
Strong run
Earlier in the evening trainer Saifaldin Deeb saddled a 1-2 in the Abu Dhabi Colts Classic, a Prestige race for UAE-bred purebred Arabians. Royston Ffrench came up with a fine run from the outside on Najem Al Khalij, the three-year-old Bibi De Carrere colt winning his second race in two starts. The Deeb-trained Najem Al Khalij, winner of a maiden over six furlongs on Sharjah's dirt course, proved equally good on the turf here as he finished ahead of stablemate Ameer Al Sraya under Tadhg O'Shea to complete the 1-2 for Deeb.
Then in the Abu Dhabi Championship, the second of the feature races for purebred Arabians on the night, Samira De Carrere was home in a driving finish under Jesus Rosales to win the first big races for Majed Khalan Al Jahouri.
Al Jahouri, who has been having a fairly good season as a trainer in addition to his success earlier this month in endurance when he won the Giants First Round, saddled the Ffrench-bred 3-year-old to a winning debut here in the UAE.
Samira De Carrere's win came from a field that also had the Rod Simpson UAE debutant Forgehill Cezanne, a Group 1 winner in Europe who was strongly backed by the Pick Six followers here but finished 7th.
Results
Meydan Hotel Cup, Purebred Arabians, Conditions, Dh 40,000, 7F:
1. Milan Ghantoot (Ahmad Al Shamsi) Carlos Sandoval;
2. Qadi Du Bac (Omar D. Mohammad) Pat Smullen;
3. AS Gosan (Ahmad Al Shamsi) Antioco Murgia. Time: 1:35.24; Distances: 2.75L, 1.25L
Imax Cup, Purebred Arabian Fillies & Mares, Maiden, Dh 35,000, 8F:
1. Dayrah (Mahmoud Hussain) Wencelas Walter;
2. Limited Edition (Michael Kettle) Wayne Smith;
3. Heart Beat (Rod Simpson) Charles Eddery. Time: 1:50.32; Distances: 3.25L, 0.50L
Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (Prestige), UAE-bred Arabians, Dh 100,000, 8F:
1. Najem Al Khalij (Saifaldin Deeb) Rosyton Ffrench;
2. Ameer Al Sraya (Saifaldin Deeb) Tadhg O'Shea
3. Naseem Al Reef (Eric Lemartinel) Gerald Avranche.
Time:
Abu Dhabi Championship (Listed), Purebred Arabians, Dh 150,000, 8F:
1. Samira De Carrere (Majid Al Jahouri) Jesus Rosales;
2. Sahib Du Clos (Saifaldin Deeb) Salim Kaya;
3. Raeaa W'rsan (Jaci Wickham) Richard Mullen.
Time: 1:48.51; Distances: Head, 3.50L HH The President's Cup (Listed) Thoroughbreds, Dh 150,000, 7F:
1. Ibn Battuta (Mussabah Al Muhairi) Wayne Smith;
2. Kalahari Gold (Doug Watson) Tadhg O'Shea;
3. Jaasoos (Dhruba Selvaratnam) William Buick.
Time: 1:24.44; Distances: 0.75L, Head
Meydan Racecourse Cup, Purebred Arabians, Handicap, 00-50, Dh 40,000, 11F:
1. Dhuha W'Rsan (Jaci Wickham) Richard Mullen;
2. Al Abjar W'Rsan (Jaci Wickham) Royston Ffrench;
3. Adeem (Michael Kettle) Salima Al Taleei;
Time: 2:35.77; Distances: Neck, 2:35.77
